SOUTHWEST RANCHES — Southwest Ranches' new policing contract with Davie opened an old wound in the community: a controversial immigration detention center.

Residents said they were alarmed with a section in the contract that promises Davie will provide law enforcement to the future detention center. They thought the detention center had been put to rest.

“I thought you said this issue was in fact dead,” said resident Jim Laskey at Tuesday's special town council meeting.

Southwest Ranches says the center was stopped last year when Pembroke Pines backed out of an agreement to provide fire, emergency medical, water and sewer service to the site. Corrections Corporation of America, the private company that owns the land, planned to build the center on a 24-acre site bordering Pembroke Pines just west of Southwest 196th Avenue between Sheridan Street and Stirling Road.

“I wish someone would have it deleted from the contract. It does not belong there. It is a dead issue,” said resident Jill Aronofsky. “There is no contract with CCA or any other department that they need to threaten us with this.”

But apparently that’s not the case. CCA still owns the land and town council members are still open to the idea of a prison or detention center.

“There wouldn’t be anything prohibiting [CCA] tomorrow from opening a 4,000 bed facility. This project is not dead – there still is potential,” said Southwest Ranches Mayor Jeff Nelson. “I’m sure they’re still looking at business opportunities whether with [U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement] or another entity.”

The company hasn’t yet returned phone calls about the center.

Back in March, CCA said it didn’t have any plans for the site, but that could change now that Davie is on board.